Meow Mix robotic case loader 'roars' into action

A new line at Del Monte Pet Products' Decatur, AL, plant features Meow Mix in stand-up, 18-oz pouches packaged at a rate of about 75 pouches/min by a robotic case loader.

Del Monte's robotic system from Blueprint Automation (www.blueprintautomation.com) collates and loads the Meow Mix pouches into corrugated cases. Pouches are collated at the infeed by a "smart conveyor" and loaded six-at-a-time by the robot's customized, pneumatic end effector into an awaiting pair of cases at a rate of three pouches/case/cycle. Another set of six pouches is loaded into the cases at a 180° angle to the first set before the 6-count pair of cases are released from the loading position. An arm then pushes each case onto a right-angle takeaway conveyor for downstream operations.